Wednesday, January 9, 2013

PNG man stays in Aus to fight son's murder conviction - ABC Online


By Giselle Wakatama


Updated January 10, 2013 07:34:40


A man has asked Papua New Guinea's prime minister to intervene to ensure he is not deported from Australia while he fights his son's murder conviction.


The man fears his time in Australia is up after his 457 visa ran out.


He says he needs to stay in the country to continue his fight against his son's murder conviction.


His son was a teenager when sentenced to a maximum 22 years' jail for the murder an Air Force technician in Newcastle in 2005.


Despite losing a High Court appeal, the man says the case should be re-opened due to new evidence.


He says he will not rest until he has cleared his son's name.


"I think we've been fighting this case for the last seven years," he said.


"We want the truth to be told."


The man says he just needs more time.


"For as long as my son is held here it is pretty hard for us to leave him behind," he said.


"I'm talking with my government back home to see if they can push for a review."


The man was told he would be deported as early as Monday next week.


But, after being contacted by the ABC, immigration officials have ruled out that deadline.


The man is now calling on PNG's prime minister to intervene to ensure he is not deported.


He says PNG has acted in good faith in relation to the Manus Island asylum seeker centre and Australia should do the same.


"If Papua New Guinea can be able to clean up your mess of immigration matters, using one of my islands, all we're asking is a bit more time," he said.


The Immigration Department says it has encouraged the family to contact a migration agent.


Topics: immigration, courts-and-trials, murder-and-manslaughter, newcastle-2300, pacific, papua-new-guinea, muswellbrook-2333


First posted January 10, 2013 06:55:34



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